SELECTMEN'S MEETING - JANUARY 26

Brian Glass and Chip Grover were absent. Since the other three were present, a quorum enabled the Board to proceed with the meeting and the evening's agenda.

Not a lot to report although there were some interesting moments. Fire Chief Ellis stated he was working on the Fire Contract (I believe with Clifton) and there was a request for $1,500 which was approved to complete piecing together funds for a Tower Study where a repeater will be installed in the U.S. Cellular structure which will improve response communications for Clifton and Eddington. There had been an article regarding the matter in the BDN on Monday.

Deputy Daren Mason was in attendance and he said overall incidents were down, although (I believe) he reported 91 incidents for the past month. He did say that Eddington and Clifton drivers were not the people being stopped for speeding. Guess we must have a lot of "through traffic" in a hurry to get-on-somewhere else.

Karen Clark gave a report of the School Board meeting the previous evening and there was a discussion re: the Holden Town Deed/Land transfer from the Holden Elementary School. More information re: the school board meeting can be found in the previous posting so I won't repeat it here. Russell Smith mentioned that Interim Superintendent Ray Hart had walked over the Release Deed that morning so that the Selectmen would have copies for the meeting that night. Since Karen still hadn't received a copy of the Release Deed (which Russell then made for her) and the Selectmen hadn't had time to read or review, their votes were tabled to their next meeting.

After some discussion re: how long it will be before any new RSU or AOS school board could be up and operational (see previous posting), the Selectmen decided to rescind their previous vote to just extend Karen's term through June and to have her go through the official process of running for her (incumbent) seat on the school board. This writer has to wonder how any local Board of Selectmen who are a separate government entity have the legal authority to deny the voters the right to vote/elect their representative on a totally separate government board. The Selectmen do have the authority to appoint an elected representative on the school board should that person not be able to fulfill their duly elected term, BUT does the Board of Selectmen have the legal authority to deny the voters to vote for their representative when the existing incumbent's term has expired and the position is up for election - no matter for the length of time? Not that it would have required any additional town costs since we need to be electing at least one (I believe TWO) Selectmen anyway - at the same time.

Anyway, Karen Clark is now gathering the required candidate signatures. And this writer is also collecting signatures for her. You can contact either of us via this blog or at home to arrange times to sign if you wish. Signatures need to be turned in by February 12th. This writer will be carrying the form around as I go to the Post Office, Tradewinds, the Eddington Store and around the neighborhoods.

Charles Baker is also collecting signatures for his candidacy for Selectman.

The law suit between the Oak Grove Homeowner Assoc. vs. the Town of Eddington has been settled with the Town of Eddington prevailing.

Libby's Junkyard permit was the subject of a "Public Hearing" at the opening of the meeting. Since no one was there to speak one way or the other, the issue was automatically approved. Seems the young couple that originally wanted to open the 300 car junkyard next to the New Hope Hospice last year (and were turned down because that site is not zoned commercial regarding of what the "For Sale" sign says) and then went down to Libby's for some kind of joint-venture have moved on. It's strictly Libby's now.

Russell passed around a draft of what next year's budget may look like. The numbers aren't final yet - some may go lower. However, at the moment, the total is only about $25,000. higher than last year. BUT it seems the State with its fiscal woes is reportedly going to cut back about $40,000. in revenue sharing from the town AND there is a possibility that Homestead Exemptions may be eliminated this coming year. Thank you, Augusta. Remember that the governor said in his State of the State address a little of a week ago that there were no new taxes! Stated he wouldn't sign any new legislation that involved new taxes to balance the State's deficit... Wonder what he thinks our higher property taxes are when the State doesn't pay its portion of the school budget or cuts the revenue sharing or eliminate Homestead Exemptions. From this property taxpayer's POV, looks like and smells like and feels the heck like NEW TAXES.

By the way, be sure to read the posting that precedes the School Board posting - it's about the attempt to eliminate local voting rights to approve/disapprove proposed local school budgets - LD1739. That issue may appear to be defeated but read the article all the way through and then send out some emails (addresses are provided). Augusta rides again and they're riding over our rights (what few remain).

The Board also needed to appoint someone locally to sit on the SAD 63 Financial Advisory Committee. This seems to only happen when the School Board is getting close to developing its next year budget. Although some members of the Selectmen didn't seem to think the School Board paid too much attention to the community people or the Financial Advisory Committee, they automatically appointed Ralph Russell to the committee. Ralph was on the committee last year. This writer thinks he may have been the chair at that time, although I seem to recall he said then that he wouldn't do it again. I haven't seen Ralph at any School Board meetings in the past year but he may have been at the December meeting since it is the one I missed.

The Selectmen's meeting was over before 7pm.